CBC-Colorado graduate and missionary to India, Jessica Klecker (right). (Click to enlarge)By the age of 15, Colorado native, Jessica Klecker knew she would serve the Lord on the mission field. Today, at the age of 23, she is fulfilling her call to ministry in India, where she has joined fellow Charis Bible College graduates, Lance and Gerri Weldgen, as they minister to the people of Chennai, Hyderabad and Mumbai, through the CBC extension schools in the region.

Raised in a Christian family, Jessica was born again at the early age of four, and by the age of 13 she had already begun her missionary journey visiting the Navajo Nation in the Southwestern United States to share the love of Jesus. "By 15, God had shown me that I was going to be doing mission work on foreign land. At that time, I didn’t know where it would be, exactly. I just knew that one day I would be on foreign land sharing the Gospel," said Jessica.

Jessica on retreat with her youth group's praise and worship team.(Click to enlarge)In her teens, Jessica was very involved at her church, and high school. She participated in her school's student government, played volleyball, and served on the praise and worship team for her church's youth group. During those formative years, Jessica developed a desire to go to India.

As her time in high school drew to a close, Jessica began to explore her options for higher education. It was never her intention to attend a secular university, and with that in mind she looked at Christian colleges and Bible schools. When Jessica was 17, her mother came across an advertisement for CBC in a church newsletter, and she brought the school to Jessica's attention. After visiting the CBC 2009, Jessica and her mother, Pam, at the CBC promotional ceremony after first year. Both Pam and Jessica's father, Jan, have been very supportive of their daughter's choices and pursuit of ministry on the mission field.(Click to enlarge)website, Jessica decided to attend Campus Days in March of 2008. At the time, she was unaware that Andrew's ministry spanned the globe. Jessica said, "I only knew that he was the president and founder of Charis Bible College. The first time I actually heard Andrew teach was at CBC Campus Days."

At the Lord's prompting, and with His peace, Jessica enrolled at CBC. Her introduction to Andrew's teaching brought major changes to her relationship with the Lord as she realized that she had spent her early Christian walk with a performance-based mentality. She had sought to please Him, and worked to be holy and righteous in her own effort. Through Andrew's ministry, she was set free. When Jessica heard the Spirit, Soul and Body teaching, she began to understand her identity in the Spirit. Jessica shared, "After listening to the Word everyday for two years, my relationship with God changed drastically. I no 2010, Jessica's second-year mission team with staff and students in Chennai, India. (Click to enlarge)longer saw Him as mean and upset, but loving. I no longer tried to please Him, but realized He is already pleased. I came to CBC to learn about mission work, and I received so much more. I received a revelation of God’s love that changed my relationship with Him from being one based on fear to one based on His love."

All Charis students are required to participate in a foreign mission trip during their second-year. While students are given a number of destinations from which to choose, they are not guaranteed to go to their preferred nation. Of course Jessica's first choice was India, but she submitted her choices with a heart to minister faithfully, wherever she was sent. As she sat in a class called "Hearing from God," she heard the Lord say, "Go to India, and be Jessica getting her face painted at an orphanage in India during her mission trip in 2010. (Click to enlarge)a blessing." A short time later she received news that she would be part of a team headed to Chennai, India.

In 2010, Jessica's team ministered alongside CBC-Colorado graduates and founders of CBC-India, Russ and David Forgoston. During the trip, Jessica experienced such an excitement and peace that she knew she had found the foreign land the Lord had placed in her heart when she was 15. When she returned to the States, Jessica longed to go back to the people of India, but she also knew it was not quite time; the Lord had given her a word that He would open doors for her to return. Two years passed before she would have the Jessica enjoying CBC graduation with fellow classmates Katherine O'Brien (left) and Trisha Roberts (right).(Click to enlarge)opportunity to go back. In the meantime Jessica graduated from CBC, completed her third-year internship and was employed by both AWM and CBC. The extra time spent in Colorado served Jessica well and prepared her for her eventual return to India.

In the summer of 2011, Jessica saw God open the door for her to return to Chennai. Through a conversation with David Forgoston, and a connection with the Weldgens, the new directors at CBC-India, Jessica knew it was time to step back on to her foreign land.

Jessica in Chennai with the directors of CBC-India, Lance and Gerri Weldgen. (Click to enlarge)In 2012 Jessica joined Lance and Gerri just in time for the school's expansion into the cities of Hyderabad and Mumbai. Jessica's service to Charis is varied, but she handles many of the day-to-day administrative duties for the ministry in its various locations. She also has the opportunity to teach and interact with the students, which brings her great joy.

For Jessica, one of the highlights of being on the mission field is witnessing the students' reception of the message of grace and the transformation that occurs as they understand their identity in Christ. She said she is able to see the transformation as it takes place because it is revealed in their countenance.

All of the female AWM-India staff, dressed up in their sarees for the 2012 CBC-India Opening Rally.(Click to enlarge)There was fulfillment in Jessica's life before CBC, but she always felt like something was missing. "I didn’t know what was missing until I came to CBC and learned about the love of God and my identity in Christ. Not knowing those two things and trying to minister to people can be a train wreck. I used to minister to my friends in high school, but it was actually more condemnation than ministry. I wasn’t loving them, I was trying to change their actions to make them pleasing for God. I guess you could say that I was just making noise (1 Corinthians 13). Now, I have actual fulfillment in what I do because I have a stronger relationship with God and an understanding of who I am in Christ. Now, I can share that with others," she said excitedly!

To learn more about the Charis experience in your area visit Charis Bible College. To find out more about what's happening in Chennai, visit CBC-India.

Reader Comments (9)

Jessica, I was just poking around on the awmi website and saw this blog! I just wanted to say "Hi" again and tell you what a delight and encouragement it was to meet you in Chennai a couple of months back. Hearing your story blesses my husband Tom and I, as we are just in the beginning stages of our journey with CBC with hopes of being on the mission field one day ourselves! Thank you for being used of God. You truly are a blessing!

Hi Charlene! It was so good to meet you and Tom in Chennai! I am excited for all that God has for you both. I hope you are enjoying the classes! If you are ever in Chennai again, please stop in and say hello. I would love to see you again! You both are a blessing!

What joy to read this article, dear one!! I'm so thrilled to have you serving the Lord in India. It's a far greater blessing than a sacrifice to serve the Lord in a foreign land. Rejoicing with you and singing Ps.89:8 to myself as I think of you!

Jessica I have registered today with Andrew Wommack Ministries. I read your blog and clicked on the links and I am listening to Spirit, Soul & Body from the mp3 section. I have an interest with blog writing and your's looks like an example of a college format and web page format.

I am so glad to read this article.Its a great blessing to serve our God. I am so excited and trilled for what God is doing in your life.Every plan and desire that God has for India let it be fulfilled through you.I really appreciate the dedication and commitment that you have for what God has called you for.India Loves you.